diff --git a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ide/ui/UISettings.java b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ide/ui/UISettings.java
index 8e095dd9e0ab..c8b8309a0652 100644
--- a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ide/ui/UISettings.java
+++ b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ide/ui/UISettings.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package com.intellij.ide.ui;
 
 import com.intellij.ide.IdeBundle;
 import com.intellij.openapi.Disposable;
+import com.intellij.openapi.application.Application;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.PathManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.components.ExportableApplicationComponent;
@@ -159,8 +160,8 @@ public class UISettings implements PersistentStateComponent<UISettings>, Exporta
    * @return UISettings instance or default values
    */
   public static UISettings getShadowInstance() {
-    UISettings instance = getInstance();
-    return instance == null ? new UISettings() : instance;
+    Application application = ApplicationManager.getApplication();
+    return application != null ? getInstance() : new UISettings();
   }
 
   public void removeUISettingsListener(UISettingsListener listener){
diff --git a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/ui/DialogWrapper.java b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/ui/DialogWrapper.java
index 0acb22d35098..f0ffac69580f 100644
--- a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/ui/DialogWrapper.java
+++ b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/ui/DialogWrapper.java
@@ -499,8 +499,7 @@ public abstract class DialogWrapper {
   }
 
   private JPanel createButtons(Action[] actions, List<JButton> buttons) {
-    UISettings uiSettings = UISettings.getInstance();
-    if (uiSettings != null && !uiSettings.ALLOW_MERGE_BUTTONS) {
+    if (!UISettings.getShadowInstance().ALLOW_MERGE_BUTTONS) {
       final List<Action> actionList = new ArrayList<Action>();
       for (Action action : actions) {
         actionList.add(action);
@@ -553,8 +552,7 @@ public abstract class DialogWrapper {
    */
   protected JButton createJButtonForAction(Action action) {
     JButton button;
-    UISettings uiSettings = UISettings.getInstance();
-    if (action instanceof OptionAction && uiSettings != null && uiSettings.ALLOW_MERGE_BUTTONS) {
+    if (action instanceof OptionAction && UISettings.getShadowInstance().ALLOW_MERGE_BUTTONS) {
       final Action[] options = ((OptionAction)action).getOptions();
       button = new JBOptionButton(action, options);
       final JBOptionButton eachOptionsButton = (JBOptionButton)button;